Thesis
Co-gasification of Polypropylene, Wood Biomass and Cardboard: A TG-FTIR investigation into the impact on thermal decomposition kinetics and syngas
Southern Cross University
Masters by Thesis, Southern Cross University
2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25918/thesis.504
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Abstract
Urbanisation, industrialisation and population growth have led to increased generation of solid waste globally. Traditional methods such as landfilling, recycling and incineration are challenged by land availability, toxic gas emissions, risk to marine environments, microplastic risk to aquifers and growing land regulation. Co-gasification of waste provides an efficient alternative for the treatment of residual municipal solid waste. Studies show enhanced syngas yield and decreased CO2 production in co-gasification.
This study focused on the co-gasification potentials of cardboard (CB), wood biomass (WB) and polypropylene (PP) using a combined thermogravimetry (TGA) and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) approach. The study observed the thermal and kinetic properties of the individual and blended samples. Polypropylene was noted as a high-energy material, increasing sample temperatures in blends. In PP/WB blends, onset and end temperatures increased by 67 ºC and 80 ºC respectively at 20 ºC/min with increasing PP mass. Residual ash was high with cardboard at 12 – 14% at both heating rates, this is due to the presence of inorganic materials and additives during the manufacturing process. The blending of PP and cardboard reduced residual ash from 12-14% to under 2% with increasing PP mass. However, the overall onset temperature increased from 292.20 ºC to 350.23 ºC and 283.47 ºC to 372.13 ºC with increasing PP mass at 20 and 40 ºC/min respectively. For Ea., PP, WB and CB recorded average Ea. of 63.704 kJ/mol, 139.309 kJ/mol and 116.197 kJ/mol respectively using the Friedmann model with corresponding R2 values of 0.99661, 0.99984 and 0.99470. In 50/50 wt.% blends of PP/WB, CB/WB and PP/CB, recorded Ea. were 66.004 kJ/mol, 82.900 kJ/mol and 37.135 kJ/mol using the Kissinger Akahira Sunose model with corresponding R2 values of 1.00000, 0.99995 and 1.00000. Overall, Ea. was observed to reduce with blends, compared to pure samples.
The evolved gas studies indicated that heating rates affected the temperatures and yields of various composition gases in the blends. In pure samples, C=O yield was highest with 35-40 units for PP at 40 ºC/min. The lowest yield was the CO yield in PP at 20 ºC/min, with 2.5-3.0 units. In blended samples, the highest yield was in the 3-component blend with 67 wt.% PP, producing 60 units of C-H gases at 40 ºC/min. The lowest yield was in PP/WB 50/50 wt.% blend with 3-4 units of CO at 20 ºC/min.
The study showed that co-gasification of plastics and biomass is advantageous at higher heating rates leading to increased production of volatiles, increased process temperatures, reduced activation energies and reduced ash yield.
Details
- Title
- Co-gasification of Polypropylene, Wood Biomass and Cardboard: A TG-FTIR investigation into the impact on thermal decomposition kinetics and syngas
- Creators
- Martinson Bonsu
- Contributors
- Graeme Palmer (Supervisor) - Southern Cross UniversityShane Reid McIntosh (Supervisor) - Southern Cross UniversitySydur Rahman (Supervisor) - Southern Cross UniversityLachlan H Yee (Supervisor) - Southern Cross UniversityErnest Du Toit (Supervisor) - Southern Cross University
- Awarding Institution
- Southern Cross University; Masters by Thesis
- Theses
- Masters by Thesis, Southern Cross University
- Publisher
- Southern Cross University
- Number of pages
- 153
- Identifiers
- 991013299428502368
- Copyright
- © Martinson JD Bonsu 2025
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Resource Type
- Thesis